EDGARD — A man found by police slumped over in his vehicle and initially unresponsive in Reserve pleaded guilty last week to drug possession, authorities said.

According to the St. John the Baptist Parish Clerk of Court’s office, Bennie Joseph pleaded guilty Jan. 9 to possession of a controlled dangerous substance — schedule II under an agreement reached with the District Attorney’s office. The defendant was ordered to serve three years with the Department of Corrections with credit for time served.

Joseph’s case began March 4, 2016, when a St. John Sheriff’s Office deputy saw a man at approximately 2:45 a.m. slouched over in a vehicle parked on Homewood Place in Reserve.

When the deputy approached the vehicle to check on the well-being of the occupant, he saw a plastic bag containing what appeared to be crack cocaine near the shift lever.  The deputy knocked on the vehicle window to make contact with the driver, who deputies later identified as Joseph, 44.

“Joseph responded after the deputy knocked several times on the car’s window,” a Sheriff’s Office release said. “Once Joseph awoke, he appeared to be confused and lost. During a subsequent search of the car, deputies located marijuana, crack cocaine and powder cocaine.”

Joseph was booked with possession of marijuana, possession of crack cocaine, possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He bonded out of jail four days later.